


Silence is a Bane

by Scrib_hneoir



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Emphasis on Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of dissociation, all stories take place in canon at different points in the game, also Link knows sign language that's a thing in this world, and by that I meant it might go up, lots of creative liberty, mentions of Link being genderfluid, minor depictions of violence, rating might change depending on future chapters, you'll need basic knowledge of the game to understand what's going on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-11
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-10-30 18:49:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10882806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scrib_hneoir/pseuds/Scrib_hneoir
Summary: Link's silence is hardly silence at all, if you really think about it.((Stories are non-chronological; make sure to check chapters for specific tags concerning trigger warnings and potential spoilers. Most stories, however, are spoiler-free.))





	1. can't speak her name

**Author's Note:**

> Various one-shot stories that take place in-canon but don't actually happen in game. Stories in which I explore Link's silent disposition and how others must have reacted to it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With so much as stake, Link tries to speak; he fails.
> 
>  
> 
> _He had never been good with the princess’ emotional states, but now seemed more the time than ever to offer some sort of comforting affirmation; to, at the very least, prove her wrong in one regard._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS; it is advised that you do not read if you have not visited Ganon's Castle or witnessed "Captured Memory 12: Father and Daughter". There is also a lengthy description of what is essentially a panic attack, so be warned about that.

Silence was no stranger to Link. Much to others’ chagrin, Link could almost count on both his hands how many times he had spoken since he had emerged from the Shrine of Resurrection, and he was alright with that. When they needed to, words came easy to him and he could uphold a conversation with simple gestures and nods of his head. Vaguely, he remembered speaking like this to those in his old life — and they never minded. He had never minded. Silence was his boon.

But now each unspoken word pricked his tongue like a small, poisoned needle. He could feel his mouth filling with the blood of every silent moment of his life, because now his silent disposition was amounting to everything against him.

He could see her. Faintly, her outline was all that offered light in the center of the castle’s Sanctum — a room Link knew far too well and wished he didn’t. Hovering in a sac of malice and ichor she reached her hand out, fingers stretching towards nothing. Link couldn’t tell if she reached her power to combat Gannon or she reached for a nonexistence hand for aid — he couldn’t tell anything and he couldn’t find his voice to ask.

His lungs were as void of air as his tongue was of words. All he could do was perch on that window and stare at the center of all that he had ever been trained to fight. At too young an age they had told him to give his life fighting Ganon and protect the princess. How easy it was for them to say that — _“Fight. Fight until you die, Link. Save Hyrule.”_

Link could feel his fingers slipping from the sill as sweat gathered across his body. His breath came in short, uneven gasps as he searched for any word that might reach her or himself. Something was clawing its way viciously up from his stomach and through his throat, a sharp pain of remembrance that demanded as much attention as his unspoken words. He freed a hand and groped for the Sheikah Slate, wondering if there was a memory here that Impa hadn’t mentioned.

As soon as he laid his eyes on the slate he felt it — the gray shadows creeping in on the edge of his vision, a faint light encompassing the center of it all. His hands slipped from the sill and he dropped to the terrace, legs crumpling beneath him, slate sliding to the edge overlooking the guard house. Link fought to bring breath back into his lungs, but that was hard when all he could see was a sun peeking through the center of storming clouds.

 

_Rain fell gently against the castle’s slanted rooftops. When the wind pushed it in the right direction it rolled down the stained glass windows to create a waterfall of color that made the crimson carpet dance under the gray light. Link sat to the side of the massive hall, back against a cold pillar, book in hand. It was a lengthy journal of an old Sheikah researcher that the princess had leant him, hoping a second insight would help with her own research. Link hadn’t been entirely eager to read all five hundred pages, half of which was practically illegible due to the tiny handwriting, but he did want to help as much as he could. Right now, all anyone knew him for was swinging a legendary sword — hardly a legacy to live up to, really._

_“Ah, there you are, Link.”_

_Link jerked his head up to find King Rhoam approaching, lacking his usual guardsmen. In an instant, Link had snapped the book shut and moved into his typical kneeling position, head bowed before the King of Hyrule._

_“No need for such formalities at this hour, Link,” the King said heartily, voice light with familiarity Link had only ever heard him use with the princess. “I was just looking for you. One of the researchers recently brought me a new book and I…” The King trailed off, prompting Link to look up. He found the King’s face clouded with a mix of emotions — regret, eagerness, and apology, to name a few. Link recalled the argument the King and the princess had had not several hours ago. “I hoped you could bring it to the princess. She should be in her rooms, I believe. Let the guard know I sent you.”_

_Link nodded, slowly rising. The King handed him a thick book bound in azure vellum, a color akin to that found on the Sheikah Slate and certain shrines. It weighed more than Link expected, his hands dropping a bit. The King gave Link one last look — a look that spoke leagues to words he wished to say but decided against — before turning and exiting the Sanctum._

_Link was almost ashamed to know the way to the princess’ quarters like the back of his hand. He couldn’t really be blamed for it, though, after all he spent the most time with the princess. Revali had one time joked that Link had spent more hours with the princess than her own father. The Rito warrior had done it in his usual, teasing way, but something in his words had rung too close to the truth. It made Link feel even more guilty._

_A guard stood outside the princess’ door. With a few hand gestures and an embarrassed chuckle, Link conveyed the situation and was allowed entry, warned not to stay too long as it was getting late and the princess needed her rest. Link nodded in agreement, not wanting to stay too long either._

_The guard rapped harshly on the door. “My princess! The Champion desires an audience, he has brought something for you.”_

_After a long period of silence, the princess faintly answered, “Let him in.” The guard nodded to Link and opened the door._

_Inside, the princess sat at her desk, chair turned so she faced Link entering the room. A notebook was left open behind her, curled letters trailing off mid-sentence. Link wanted to apologise for the intrusion, but words seemed to be sticking more than usual. A tenseness swelled between the two of them and Link was far from brave enough to acknowledge it. He simply held out the vellum bound book towards her like an offering of… something._

_“Ah, a gift from my father, I presume?” She spoke in a short tone, clearly playing up the part of a higher ranking member of society to maintain emotional control. Link could only let her do it. She wasn’t mad at him, after all._

_At her question, Link only nodded. When she stood, Link immediately knew this interaction would go down differently than their previous, hostile engagements. With such a short temper, Link wondered why the King thought_ Link _, of all people, was a good candidate to soothe the princess’ waters. Link only ever seemed to further aggravate the princess when she was like this — he wondered if she hated him._

 _“And I assume you have no words to say on the matter?” Link kept his gaze even. The princess huffed and swiped the book from his hands. “Very well. Since it appears you’re playing messenger, tell my father that I’ll only look at the book when I have free time from my training — which will be never, so be sure to let him know I’ll never have a look at it.” As Link made to nod in understanding, she added bitterly, “But I suppose you won’t actually_ say _anything, will you.”_

_Link’s expression folded into confusion. Before he could recompose it, the princess saw. A mirthful smirk twisted her lips as she turned away. “You can’t even ask for me by name to deliver a message, but I bet you speak my father’s name easily, even if just because of duty.” Her free hand curled into a fist as she set the book on her desk amongst the piles of others, all of their pages folded and worn from months of reading and note taking. “I haven’t done enough to master this locked power, haven’t done enough to earn my father’s respect, and I clearly haven’t done enough for you to even regard me as a friend.”_

_A pillar of strength supporting Link’s silent deposition fell at her words, and for a second Link almost found the will to reach out with his own. He had never been good with the princess’ emotional states, but now seemed more the time than ever to offer some sort of comforting affirmation; to, at the very least, prove her wrong in one regard. He_ did _consider them friends, but she had only ever been “the princess” to him — what more could he even give?_

_She laughed — a quick, harsh laugh that came from the chest in a breath of anger and frustration. “Well. If I’m nothing more than the princess to you, then I suppose you’re nothing more than the Champion to me. Just go. You’ve completed your errand, just go now.”_

_Link turned and all but fled the room._

 

Emerging from the memory was like surfacing from a deep pool of breathless terror. The true meaning of the princess’ words from that time were echoing around and around in his head like a truth he refused to acknowledge but already accepted — _“I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.”_

He should have said something. He should have said _anything_. Even if they had reconciled some days later, a scar of the conversation remained on both of them. Something had changed because at the time they had both spoken a deeper truth than they had meant too — she had been jealous and he had been a coward. Even one hundred years later, neither had overcome those flaws.

Link glanced through the window at the Sanctum once more, eyes flitting to where the princess was, where she was calling for him day and night most likely… then turned away. Just like that evening a hundred years ago, he all but fled from the Sanctum.

He couldn’t do this — at least not now. Part of him wasn’t ready, even with the Master Sword resting warmly against his back. Right now, that warmth was nothing but another reminder of his fragmented past and the promises he broke with everyone who had protected him until the very end. The other champions, despite their flaws, had been so selfless. They had given it their all until they drew their last breath just to give Link another shot against Ganon.

And Link had failed them all.

_…Li-…_

His feet wrenched to a halt on the terrace two hundred feet below the Sanctum. Guardians swiveled all around and Link found the mind to duck behind a pillar as a laser honed in on him. His breath came in hard, shuddering gasps — the ever present scent of burning skin and malice-tainted Sheikah metal didn’t help him get air back at all. What looked like ash permeated every inch of the air around him, clinging to the castle walls and his clothes. He breathed it in and it burned harsher than molten metal inside him.

_…Link…_

He knew that voice. He knew that voice far too well from listening to it hours on end, whether it was talking about something important or just inane nonsense.

_…Link, I’m…_

Link couldn’t make his fingers work fast enough. They jabbed at the Sheikah Slate as if they had never used it before, tapping and tapping again at any shrine that was far, far away from the castle; as far from the stench of evil as he could get.

As his legs slowly deteriorated into blue streams of light he heard one last time time,

_…Link, I’m sorry…_

He was sorry too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I finished BOTW today and was immediately inspired to write this. I lowkey wished for more development between Link and Zelda, especially after reading her diary in the castle, but I suppose I can't have everything lol... but on the other hand this is the most development we've ever gotten in LoZ games!
> 
> either way, I imagine that the above memory (which is completely made up, by the way, please don't go looking for it) happened before the account of Link's silence in Zelda's diary. ALSO you can't actually see Zelda from a window looking into the Sanctum, so that's made up too lol.
> 
> thank you for reading!!


	2. the phantom of hyrule castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody likes that funny little boy who never says a word.
> 
>  
> 
> _Asher straightened his back and met King Rhoam’s raging gaze. With his voice strong, he said casually, but respectfully, as if it were the truth, “This boy is my son.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is SPOILER FREE :D with a focus on child ! Link

As far as being a Royal Guard of Hyrule Castle, Asher had a rougher schedule than most. His usual patrols started in the late evening and lasted until sunrise, leaving him to sleep through most daylight hours before resuming his patrol. Thankfully, most of his patrol route took him around the walls so at least he got to see the outside — and no matter how many times he saw it, Asher never got tired of the moonlight washing over Hyrule Field, glinting off the calm waters like thousands of silver coins.

Having woken up early that particular day, Asher started his patrol one night a bit earlier than usual. He bid his fellow guardsmen good night — most of whom were turning in from their afternoon patrols — pulled a spear from the armory stand, and headed towards the north wall. He liked starting there, since the wall was more north-west and he got to see the sunset, relishing the last rays of daylight before night settled in.

The sky was brighter at this hour, no later than six o’clock, Asher presumed, and the air was warmer than he was used to. He slowed his pace a bit to enjoy the evening view over the Irch Plains, noting how golden the grass looked and thinking about how silver it would become. The world really did change between night and day — so much so that you could hardly call it the same world. That’s what made dusk and dawn such special times in relation to such a transition, as they represented times both not-day and not-night. They were an in between world. A liminal sanctuary.

As Asher approached the tower he’d begin his patrol at, a tower overlooking the docks behind the castle, he found it populated by one other person — not a guard or other castle worker, like Asher would have assumed though he hardly expected anyone to ever be there anyway. Until midnight, he would be the only one on this wall, yet there sat someone else.

They were a young Hylian, no more than a month into their teen years. They didn’t appear quite situated for castle life either, what with their torn trousers and potato-sack tunic, so they definitely weren’t a noble’s lost child. Their wheat-colored hair was unkempt and pulled into a grimy ponytail and their face was scattered with bruises, scratches, and mud. Everything about them pointed to “wild forest child,” yet that assumption was blown away by the hefty book held between their young hands.

Asher found himself staring for a long time before any alarm bells went off in his head — because high chances were this child was _not_ supposed to be here. They were probably an orphan who had snuck in on King Rhoam’s goodwill and now sat hidden away as they refused to get caught. Asher’s guardian instinct made his hand tighten around his spear, but the child meeting his gaze made him freeze once more.

Their eyes were calm and wide, all but staring into Asher’s soul. He could describe them as “wise beyond their years,” though Asher could hardly think of a situation where a child would be subject to such hastened maturity in this day and age. Still, an orphan probably saw more questionable things than a castle guard, so Asher couldn’t really judge.

Halting a four meters feet away, Asher called out, “Are you looking for a reading spot, child? If so, I recommend the royal library. Cooks pass through every now and again, as well, you might find some food to put on your bones.”

Asher knew he was probably breaking a million and one rules, but something about the child ignited a protective instinct within him. Leaning his spear, his only weapon, against the stone railing, Asher tentatively approached. “I can show you the way if you’d like.”

The child only snapped the book closed and leapt to their feet, climbing to the tower window and disappearing outside. Asher rushed over to make sure the child hadn’t fallen to their death to the moat below, but he found the wall clear as if the child had never been there at all.

Over the horizon, the sun dipped below the mountains.

 

* * *

 

Asher had a typically life story being a guard of Hyrule Castle — he was born into a family guards like his father and father before him, he was raised with guards, and when he came of age he, too, became a guard. It had never really occurred to Asher that he might have other career options, perhaps merchantry or smithing — he was content patrolling the corridors and occasionally the walls of the castle, taking pride that he was part of a network keeping the royal family safe. In fact, Asher had even been one of sixteen guards keeping watch over the queen’s chambers when she gave birth of the beautiful princess Zelda, and that was a moment Asher kept dear to his heart.

There was another moment that Asher kept close to his heart, actually — several, in all honesty, and counting. Asher had always thought guard life at Hyrule Castle was already endlessly exciting, but ever since the arrival of, well… _him_ , Asher’s days had just grown all the brighter.

 _He_ was a young, Hylian boy — no more than nine years of age, ten at most, though he looked much older at first glance — named Link. The child’s parents were unknown and rumor had it that a Hateno guard had found him hiding from a group of Moblins. When the guard was promoted to Royal Guard, the kid had tagged along to the castle — that was almost a year ago now. Asher had also heard that the only word Link had spoken since being found was to give his own name.

All the royal guards and guards in training knew of Link’s residence within Hyrule Castle, but the information seemed to escape literally everyone else. According to several sources, not even the King knew of the extra mouth he was unwittingly feeding every time a cook crossed the halls. Link was quite the thief, but he only ever stole bits of food and books — and he always returned the books.

Asher only encountered the child if he started his patrol early, which was before the sun had set. He had taken to bringing with him a basket of food — bread, cheese, milk, apples — as well as paper and ink. Until the sun set, Asher and Link would have written conversations, usually about cooking or big words that Asher didn’t know the meaning of. For being one so young, Link had impeccable penmanship as well as an extensive vocabulary.

Every evening, Asher wondered if Link would stay a bit longer, but come the sun setting Link would up and disappear like a phantom. Asher sometimes questioned if the boy was real at all.

 

* * *

 

 _What’s this?_ Link held the paper up as Asher set the cooking pot down next to a wood and metal setup that allowed one to cook outside. He positioned the pot on the hooks and began building a small pyramid of firewood beneath it.

“I figured you might like something other than bread for once,” Asher explained as he unveiled the usual basket of food. “Here. Eggs, rice, some water, nuts for seasoning, raw meat, and some rock salt. Feel free to experiment, there’d loads where this came from.”

Link stared at the ingredients while Asher tapped a fire out on his spearhead. Once the sparks caught he slowly nursed it to life until they had a real campfire roaring between them on the chilly flagstones.

 _I’ve never cooked before._ Asher chuckled at that for he had assumed as much.

“It’s simple, really. Boil the water,” Asher explained, demonstrating the motions with his hands as he spoke, “cook the rice until it’s soft, push it to the side of the pan, start the meat sizzling over the center of the heat, crack an egg over here, add a little salt, mix it all together and voila!” Asher clapped his hands over the pan. “You have a substantial meal.”

Link quickly scribbled, _Do you cook a lot?_

“Not really, but Aaron gave me a few pointers to give to you. If you want, I can leave the pot and some wood and flint in this tower for you to use in the morning.”

Link didn’t have anything to say to that. An unfamiliar awkwardness had seemed to settle over him and his face was blushing like mad. Asher waited patiently, wondering what Link had on his mind and whether or not he’d tell Asher. After a good minute of Link curling his fingers into the paper, Link finally said aloud in a choked voice,

“Th… thank… you…”

Asher tried not to let it go to his head. He really did. But Link had spoken! To him! Asher grinned so wide he thought his cheeks might crack. “You’re welcome, it’s my pleasure. I thought you might be getting bored of bread.”

Link nodded furiously.

 

* * *

 

Asher was not a liar. Like any other person in the world, of course he had lied before, but he had never made a habit out of it. Asher never consciously looked someone in the eye to say with amazing confidence something that wasn’t true. And he never lied big, either, that was for sure, he simply had never had reason to nor the spine to do it. Asher was an honest man from East Necluda who made an honest living working as an honest guard for an honest King — Asher couldn’t ask for more and never would he think of betraying his liege.

Until the evening he found himself in the Sanctum before the King of Hyrule with Link kneeling at swordpoint to the side and King Rhoam demanding Asher for answers as to why and how a ragtag vagabond had found sanctuary in _his_ castle for a whole _two years_ without him knowing. Asher could not recall a time the King had appeared so off-put, but Asher suspected it had something to do with the princess being near in age to Link and the possible implications that came of an unknown boy running around the castle with reckless abandon.

Asher looked from Link to the King and back to Link. The boy was visibly shaking, a fresh bruise blossoming on his forehead where a questioning guard had gotten a little too rough. Every honest bone in Asher’s body was instinctively telling him to speak the truth — that he had no idea who the boy was, just that Link was an innocent and curious soul who had no other home than the north tower and whom the castle guard had come to love regardless of their own position and responsibilities to intruders.

But Asher didn’t say that.

Asher straightened his back and met King Rhoam’s raging gaze. With his voice strong, he said casually, but respectfully, as if it were the truth, “This boy is my son.”

 

* * *

 

Asher was relieved of his duty as a royal guard, but he had seen that coming. With goodbyes said and his bags packed, he took his horse out of the castle and into Hyrule Castle Town where he found Link perched on the bridge’s last newel. As Asher approached, Link hopped down and walked over, settling into a pace beside Asher as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Asher smiled and didn’t say a word — he didn’t need to. Link didn’t write anything down, not even a word of thanks — but he, too, didn’t need to.

Only as they neared the crossroads before the Sacred Grounds did Asher halt the horse with a long sigh. “Ahh, never thought much of life beyond being a guard. But…” He looked from his horse to Link, who did have an expression of guilt no matter how much he tried to hide it, and back to the horse. “…I did always like animals. Why don’t we check out the Serenne Stable to the northwest? I hear they need some extra hands up there and that the sunset is the most beautiful thing.”

Link looked up, eyes as wide as ever and… this boy seriously needed a bath.

Asher could only smile fondly back. “You read books all day but have you ever put the knowledge to good use? Maybe as soon as you show off with the horses they won’t want to let you go. What will happen to my traveling companion, hm?” Asher laughed, mostly at himself. “What kind of father would I be then?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Asher saw Link smile at the ground. Turning right, they started north.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaa this chapter got a little out of hand and turned into a whole new headcanon I guess! we never hear much about Link's parental situation but imagine: adopted father!!
> 
> this is a side note, but if anyone is curious, I headcanon Link being fairly quiet in general even before the "savior of hyrule" destiny is presented to him. That being said, because of things/works/posts I've seen around the fandom I totally headcanon Link learning sign language -- but not until a bit later in life! I'll explore Link's knowledge/learning of sign language in a future chapter :)
> 
> thank you for reading!!


	3. a sense of safety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon and Mipha are more alike than Link originally thought.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _The Zora King’s disdain for him because of what happened to his daughter had only made Link feel worse — but someone had managed to calm those waters as if it were no problem and now Link felt welcome again like he had been before._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SPOILERS; you probably shouldn't read if you haven't completed thethe Divine Beast Vah Ruta arc. The story takes place after freeing Vah Ruta but before fighting Calamity Ganon. Link knows sign language (or whatever the LoZ equivalent is) but this also explains why he doesn't really use it much. There's also some SUPER MINOR Sidon/Link #whoops

The Zora’s Domain was the best place to relax, in Link’s opinion. The other regions had their merits, of course, but there was something about the azure waters reflecting off the silver buildings and constant white noise of the river coursing through the land that set his general anxiety to rest. Nothing about the Domain had changed in one hundred years, if his flawed memory served him at all, and every time he saw the rare beam of sunlight bounce off a tower he thought of Mipha’s calming presence and her reassuring voice telling him that everything would be alright.

First returning to the Zora’s Domain had been a summoned a painful thorn of guilt that Link hadn’t been able to soothe. The Zora King’s disdain for him because of what happened to his daughter had only made Link feel worse — but someone had managed to calm those waters as if it were no problem and now Link felt welcome again like he had been before.

Prince Sidon was… certainly someone. He wasn’t what Link would call “reliable,” like Mipha had been, but he was a reassuring presence that made Link believe he could conquer anything thrown at him. That had been a feeling Link had greatly needed when he first arrived at the Domain. A sense of broken purpose had been beginning to plague him when he first stumbled across the Inogo Bridge, but meeting (or, rather, re-meeting) Prince Sidon had rekindled a feeling Link had thought he had lost — friendship. People claimed left and right that he had a friend in them, but Prince Sidon was the only one who really made Link feel comfortable being… well, himself.

And ‘himself’ was quite weak.

After musing on it for several days into his stay at the Domain, Link finally put a word to it:  _ security _ . Mipha had offered a similar presence, albeit in a different manner. With her, Link had felt recklessly safe, because he could throw his life on the line to protect everyone knowing that she’d always be there to heal him. With Prince Sidon, Link felt more consciously safe, because he didn’t want to make the Prince worry for him and therefore he put himself less in danger’s way, and that had it’s own rewards. 

Feeling hungry, Link pulled himself to his feet and walked to the edge of the Veiled Falls cliff face. He never quite got over the long jump and enhanced swimming — he didn’t think he ever would — but with a deep breath he pointed his arms and leapt into the waters below, parting the surface like a curtain of silk and slipping through the river as graceful as a Zora (or, well, a Hylian-Zora hybrid — i.e. as graceful as he could). One of the waterfalls pouring from the main city came quickly into view and Link readied himself for the swift climb back up. 

The water enveloped him like a cocoon and with a long breath Link felt himself climbing up. If he was being honest, it always felt more like the water was pulling him up rather him pulling himself up; he suspected the properties of the Zora’s skin and the material of Link’s armor offered a special, almost magical ability to swimming upwards. Link was eternally grateful for Mipha’s gift of the armor, even if he couldn’t ever return or even reply to the feelings behind it. That was one more guilt he didn’t think he’d ever put to rest, and Vah Ruta’s guardianship nearby wasn’t about to let him forget. 

Quickly enough Link leapt from the water, ducked, and rolled onto the silver floor. Water droplets rolled off his armor and joined the already damp ground. Link straightened and rolled his shoulders, feeling refreshed after the swim even if his back still ached a little from the climb up the waterfalls. In all honesty, climbing up an actual waterfall that was hundreds of meters tall was worse on his back, so he shouldn’t really be complaining.

“Ahoy! Link, you are here!”

Link didn’t need to think twice to identify the bearer of such a hearty, enthusiastic voice. He turned and smiled at Prince Sidon quickly approaching from the King’s room, probably fresh out of a lesson about ruling or royalty or some other somesuch. Link wiped his soaking bangs from his face, the only part of him in addition to his face that only ever got wet when swimming.

Prince Sidon halted before him, still a few meters away so Link didn’t break his neck looking up, and grinned his razor sharp teeth down at Link. “I hope you’ve been enjoying your stay. Are you perhaps looking for sustenance now? I understand that it is around this hour that Hylians begin to hunger for dinner.”

Link nodded and held up his hands, moving them in a pattern that he believed conveyed what he wanted to eat: point at self, draw circle on chest with pointer finger, two fingers move in a semi-circle motion, two fingers on both hands overlap, and end with rolling fingers across the back of the other hand. 

_ ‘I’d like to cook meat and rice.’ _

He was a little rusty with the Quiet Words, a language unique to the Zora, but he was beginning to practice with the Zora to perfect it again. Several words and phrases he was unsure of and often halted all conversation to figure out, but he still misspoke more times than he meant to. Thankfully, the Zora were good natured in correcting his mistakes.

“Link! You’ll need more nutrition than that,” Prince Sidon chastised with a great smile. “I will gather some greens for you from underwater. We usually eat them raw, but perhaps they’ll taste just as good cooked. Oh! By the way, if you meant to say ‘cook,’ you were close but you need to curl your middle and index fingers and make a circle motion instead of a half-circle one — like this!” The Prince demonstrated and Link nodded, watching closely to commit the word to memory. The Prince laughed heartily and Link knew that the Prince greatly appreciated Link’s determination to learn the Quiet Words. “What you did it kind of the word ‘prepare,’ but it looked more like you meant to say ‘cook’ to me.”

Prince Sidon waved Link off before leaping from the bridge with enviable grace. Link smiled to himself and hurried to Marot’s Mart where he used few words and even fewer Quiet Words to purchase his to-be meal — Hylian Rice and Sizzlefin Trout would do. He waited by the cooking pot for the Prince to return, fiddling with the flames to stoke an appropriate cooking fire.

He didn’t wait long, thankfully, Link didn’t think his growling stomach would have been able to take it. The Prince returned with a handful of what looked like seaweed but had a sweeter order to it. It’s edges were curved, not allowing it to lay flat in Prince Sidon’s hand, and up it’s center ran a silver streak of semi-transparent cells. Link looked at it in marvel, not able to remember if he had seen such a plant before or not.

“I hope this amount will do,” Prince Sidon said, laying it across the rail near the rest of Link’s ingredients. “Also, would you mind if I watched you prepare your meal? Hylian cooking is endlessly fascinating, even if I can’t consume it myself.”

Link nodded. With his pointer finger and thumb outstretched he also tapped his chin twice.  _ ‘Of course.’ _

As Link cooked the rice, he cut the meat with a cooking dagger and gently fried it on the edges of the cast iron pan. When the rice was finished, he set it to the side to cool before gathering it in his hands and forming a ball of it around pieces of meat. He then used strips of the seaweed-like plant to blanket the base of the rice ball before place it over the heat for a little while longer. He did this three times, keeping his entire concentration on the food so he wouldn’t feel too self-conscious with the Prince watching over his shoulder.

Since they had met, Link had been able to coax the Prince centimeters and centimeters closer to an open flame, something the Prince had originally been terrified of. While being too close did harm the Prince — any Zora, really — Link had shown that the open flame at certain distances wasn’t harmful at all, allowing the two to have longer conversations since Link could be kept warm.

“How fascinating! Do you cook everything to prepare it?” Prince Sidon inquired as Link shoved the first rice ball in his mouth.

With a shake of his head, Link waved his pointer finger before he jabbed a hand lengthwise, tapped the side of one hand on the palm of the other, cupped one hand and splayed his other hand over the top of it, and at last touched his thumb to his nose with the rest of his fingers curled downwards.  _ ‘No. Meals like salads are only cut and then served.’ _

Prince Sidon was quiet for a really long time and Link wondered which Quiet Word (or words) he had misused now. He shoved the second rice ball into his mouth to keep his hands busy as he went over the motions in his mind. The only one he was unsure of had been the final one. Thumb to nose with fingers curled downwards meant ‘served,’ right? Or was ‘served’ thumb to nose with palm down and fingers flat? He really couldn’t be sure and now he was afraid to ask due to the Prince’s silence.

“Er, Link, if you meant to say ‘served’ it’s…” The Prince held a hand close to his face, pressing his thumb against his lips with his palm facing the ground, fingers flat. 

Link sighed and nodded, forming a loose fist and nodding that as well.  _ ‘Right right.’ _ He paused for a moment then tapped his chest twice, held his arm upright with his hand curled like a C, then repeated the motion of touching his thumb to his nose with his fingers curled downwards, tapping his nose twice instead of holding the finger there to indicate a question.  _ ‘Then what does this motion mean?’ _

“Ahaha, that’s…” The Prince laughed with a nervousness Link wasn’t familiar with. The Prince’s hand scratched at his knee and his looked around. Because of the evening hour, most of the Zora were retreating to their warm beds of water for a good night’s rest, leaving Link and the Prince relatively alone save guards and the occasional citizen still rounding up a child. “Well, I wouldn’t say it has a direct translation like most other Quiet Words to the Hylian Tongue, but I suppose the best way to explain it is…”

The Prince scooted a bit closer, probably feeling comfortable doing so since the fire behind Link had died out quite a bit. Link looked up with questioning, inquisitive eyes. Something about the Quiet Word and the Prince’s awkward response struck a chord of familiarity, but Link couldn’t quite place where.

“The best translation is that it means pure, unadulterated emotions of romantic intent for someone,” the Prince explained in a quiet voice. If the Zora blushed like Hylians, Link suspected the Prince would be beat red.

Link’s eyes widened and his mouth made an O shape. Well this was certainly embarrassing. He thanked his lucky stars he had never used the Quiet Word by accident in front of anyone else, he couldn’t expect they’d have as kind a reaction. Link chuckled awkwardly, feeling his own cheeks blush at the mistake. He waved a hand in front of his face before bringing both hands together and nodding them at Prince Sidon.  _ ‘My bad. Sorry.’ _

“Don’t feel too bad, Link! It’s a learning experience for all,” the Prince laughed, poking at Link’s head. Link sighed heavily, still feeling embarrassed. “You haven’t had much use for Quiet Words, so I don’t blame you for misspeaking at all.”

The fringes of an image bloomed at the corners of Link’s mind and he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. At the Prince’s questioning look, Link quickly said,  _ ‘A memory… I think?’ _ — a series of tapping his head, fingers folded in different ways. However it wasn’t like the memories that usually hit him like a broadsword and incapacitated him for the duration of their recollection. No, this one was more like a gentle remembrance, like how he might remember a dream — only this wasn’t a dream, it was definitely the image of something from his past.

He moved his hands slowly, thinking through each Quiet Word before committing to saying it.  _ ‘I remember something. I have made this mistake before.’ _

“Do you mean the one with…?” The Prince vaguely gestured a thumb to his face.

Link nodded and added,  _ ‘Before my long sleep. With your sister.’ _

This made Prince Sidon laugh aloud, clearly at Link’s expense given the relationship Link and Mipha used to have. Link made a face at the Prince, who only laughed harder. “I do say! A mistake of that nature with Mipha is certainly a story to hear from you.”

Link gave a long sigh and waved a hand in front of him.  _ ‘No no no.’ _ He snapped his fingers to get Prince Sidon’s attention before speaking in slightly hastened Quiet Words,  _ ‘It was with someone else. When I told your sister about it…’ _ Link paused, lowering his hands slowly as a realization dawned over him. Prince Sidon waited patiently, eyes almost glowing in anticipation of where the story would go. After a minute Link raised his hands again and finished slowly,  _ ‘…Your sister had the same reaction as you.’ _

Link and the Prince fell into a thoughtful silence. Who knew what the Prince was musing over, but Link was bringing up the list of differences he had created of Mipha and Prince Sidon. Her: gentle, resilient, humble, virtuous. Him: excited, one-track minded, curious, versatile.

So different, yet they laughed at the same things.

Prince Sidon waved a hand in front of Link’s face and Link snapped his attention back to the present. The Prince was speaking in Quiet Words, hands fluid and moving like a dance, each word flowing into the next like a stream carving its way through a valley. It was beautiful to watch and Link almost forgot to actually listen.

_ ‘My sister was the kindest person I knew. I never really thought I was anything like her, although I wanted to be. Even after her death I thought this,’ _ the Prince said, the regret clear in the lackluster way he moved his hands.  _ ‘I suppose it feels good to be compared to her as similar for once.’ _

Link could only gape for a moment before hurriedly and sloppily replying,  _ ‘Your sister and you are more similar than anyone I know of. Both of you are immensely strong and kind in the heart.’ _ Unable to organize the Quiet Words to finish the thought, Link took a deep breath and spoke with his natural voice, which he couldn’t help but find foreign to his own ears, “You should… see her in… in everything you do.”

Prince Sidon stared at Link with wide, surprised eyes. Link had to look away after a moment, feeling somewhat judged under the look if he met it directly. After a minute the Prince reached between them and took Link’s hands between his own. Link jumped in surprise at both the contact and the fact that Prince Sidon’s skin was comfortingly warm.

“You are a fine and encouraging person, Link,” the Prince said in such a sincere tone Link felt like he had cheated the Prince out of an expectation of himself. “I have spent a lot of my life trying to live up to the legacy my sister left behind. I am so,  _ so _ relieved to hear that I have succeeded.”

Link could only smile as warmly as he could. Prince Sidon’s own smile was contagious and for once Link felt like he understood what the Prince was feeling — relief, gratitude, and happiness. Even in that sense he was like Mipha; they both seemed to always feel one-hundred-percent all the time. They felt wholly and truly any and all emotion, and it was such a trait that allowed Link to feel more human around them.

“Sot thank you. Thank you, Link! You are truly an amazing person.”

Link smiled and freed a hand, placing his palm over his heart and sweeping it across his chest.  _ ‘You’re welcome.’ _

A short time later the Prince stifled a yawn and declared he was off to bed. As he retreated, Link looked down at his hands, then went cross-eyed as he watched himself repeat the Quiet Word from before — thumb to nose, fingers curled downwards. As he did, he thought of all the people he could call friend in this new world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO SHORT EXPLANATION TIME: I saw a tumblr post way back when about how mermaids shouldn't be able to hear anything underwater (it had some science with it okay idk) so I thought "hey... the Zora are fish [people]... they can't speak underwater... the Zora invented a sign-language-equivalent... that Mipha taught Link... yeah yeah I like this idea..." And thus I wrote this.
> 
> not gonna lie Sidon is my absolute fave so I hope I did him justice. and also the minor Sidon/Link lmao?? if you think the choice of Link misspeaking _that particular word/phrase_ was an accident then you are so very wrong my friend ;D
> 
> thank you for reading!!


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